Hello Alvin is a healthcare network that offers 24-hour access to doctors and nurses.Truck drivers who need a medical consultation while out on the road have a new option with Hello Alvin, a telehealth service, that is now selling one-time use healthcare cards at truck stops across the country.
Drivers who are mostly in good health and don’t visit the doctor often can purchase these cards for $69 and get a PIN number to activate a call and be on the phone with a doctor in 10 to 15 minutes, says Hello Alvin co-founder Joey Truscelli. The cards are sold in the gift card section of more than 2,500 truck stops, including Love’s and Pilot Flying J locations.
Hello Alvin is partnered with Teladoc, a virtual healthcare provider. When using a Hello Alvin healthcare card, drivers can go to www.helloalvin.com and click “Redeem a PIN,” then use the Teladoc mobile app to have a phone call or video chat with a doctor.
“Anyone can use it,” Truscelli says. “It doesn’t require insurance. We wanted to cater to everyone, especially independent truckers.”
Truscelli adds that drivers can load their family members into the Teladoc app, and they can also use a prepaid card for a one-time call if necessary. Additionally, if you have a primary care doctor at home but are stuck on the road and need to use the service, you can add your doctor’s information to the Teladoc app and your patient record from the call will be sent to them for any necessary follow-ups.
Teladoc doctors can also write prescriptions to be sent to the driver’s nearest pharmacy while on the road, if a prescription is necessary.
In addition to the one-time use prepaid cards, Hello Alvin also offers an annual subscription service for $100 a year for drivers who may use the service multiple times a year or have families that could use the service throughout the year. The subscription includes a free 24-hour registered nurse line and free 24-hour email a doctor services, and Teladoc consults under the yearly plan are discounted to $45. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of dependents a driver can have using the same account.
“We’re trying to get truckers to take better care of themselves,” Truscelli says. “Look at how truck stops have changed their food offerings to add more healthy items. I think there’s a push to provide more health and wellness opportunities for drivers, and we want to make sure we help them take care of themselves.”
